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Melisa stood at the corner of the grand, opulent office, feeling the weight of the silence that surrounded her. Her palms were sweaty as she gripped the folder containing the documents she needed signed, her heart racing with every second that passed. Across the room, seated behind a massive mahogany desk, was her husband, Alaric Vincent Renard, the man who had become the center of her fears and anxieties. He was the most powerful man in the country, feared by many, known for his cold, ruthless demeanor, and the man she had been forced to marry. Melisa had been standing there for nearly an hour, waiting for him to acknowledge her presence, but Alaric hadn't spared her even a glance. Instead, he was absorbed in the piles of paperwork in front of him, his eyes scanning the documents, his fingers occasionally turning a page with meticulous care. The silence was suffocating, and with each passing second, Melisa's patience wore thin.
Melisa stood at the corner of the grand, opulent office, feeling the weight of the silence that surrounded her. Her palms were sweaty as she gripped the folder containing the documents she needed signed, her heart racing with every second that passed. Across the room, seated behind a massive mahogany desk, was her husband, Alaric Vincent Renard, the man who had become the center of her fears and anxieties. He was the most powerful man in the country, feared by many, known for his cold, ruthless demeanor, and the man she had been forced to marry.
Melisa had been standing there for nearly an hour, waiting for him to acknowledge her presence, but Alaric hadn't spared her even a glance. Instead, he was absorbed in the piles of paperwork in front of him, his eyes scanning the documents, his fingers occasionally turning a page with meticulous care. The silence was suffocating, and with each passing second, Melisa's patience wore thin.
"Excuse me," she finally spoke, her voice trembling as she broke the silence. "When are you going to sign as my guardian? I need it for my university assignment. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't even ask for your signature."
There was no response. Alaric continued flipping through his papers as though he hadn't heard her at all. Melisa's nerves tightened. She hated how he always made her feel so insignificant, like a mere shadow in his world.
Her heartbeat quickened, and her patience snapped. "Are you going to sign it or not?" Her voice was louder now, edged with the frustration she'd tried to keep at bay. "Stop ignoring me!"
Still, there was no answer. The tension in the room was thick, nearly unbearable.
Melisa gritted her teeth, anger flaring. "What do you want from me?" she shouted, her fear barely masked beneath her outburst. She knew she shouldn't raise her voice to him, but she was at her limit.
At last, Alaric lifted his head, his cold, dark eyes locking onto her. The intensity of his gaze made her breath hitch, her pulse quickening not just out of fear but from something else, something she didn't want to acknowledge. He leaned back slowly in his chair, his broad shoulders relaxed, but his expression remained unreadable.
"Do you want to go horseback riding?" His voice was low, velvety, but with an edge that sent a chill down her spine.
Melisa blinked, caught off guard. "What?" she asked, confused by the sudden shift in the conversation. "Horseback riding?"
Alaric swirled the glass of red wine he had in his hand, watching the liquid move with calm precision. "Yes," he replied smoothly, his gaze still piercing into her. "I'd like to see how well you can ride." The way he said it, the deliberate slowness of his words, made her stomach twist with unease.
"I... I don't understand," she stammered, shaking her head slightly, as if trying to shake off the unnerving feeling that crept over her. "I just need your signature."
Alaric's lips curved slightly into something that could have been a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "My signature, hmm?" He rose from his chair, towering over her as he walked around the desk. "Everything has a price, Melisa. You should know that by now."
Melisa swallowed hard, her throat dry. "What are you talking about?"
Stopping in front of her, Alaric's presence was overwhelming. He was tall, powerful, and exuded an aura of control that made her feel small, fragile. He reached out, his fingers brushing under her chin, tilting her face up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. His touch was both soft and commanding, sending an involuntary shiver through her.
"If you want something from me," he said quietly, "then you must be willing to give something in return."
The world seemed to slow around her. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Your obedience," he murmured, his thumb lightly grazing her jawline, a subtle, dangerous caress. "Your patience."
Melisa felt her heart race faster, her breathing uneven. This was the man she had married-a man who demanded everything without giving anything in return. He was like ice and fire at once, a contradiction that left her trembling with fear and something darker, something more unsettling that she refused to acknowledge.
She wanted to scream, to demand that he stop playing games with her. But in the face of his cold authority, she felt powerless, trapped. Taking a shaky breath, she nodded slightly, her voice small and resigned. "Fine."
Alaric's lips twitched with satisfaction, a subtle smirk crossing his features. "Good," he said softly. "I like it when my wife knows her place."
He finally stepped away, returning to his desk. Melisa stood frozen in place, her mind spinning. She watched him pick up the pen from his desk and begin signing the documents she had brought. He did it without urgency, as if her whole world wasn't spinning out of control right in front of him.
When he finished, he placed the papers back in the folder and handed them to her. "Here you go," he said with an air of finality.
Melisa reached out with shaking hands, taking the folder from him. She couldn't bring herself to thank him. Her heart was pounding too loudly in her chest, her mind too full of the tension that had built between them, a tension that seemed to pull her deeper into the abyss of their twisted relationship.
As she turned to leave, Alaric's voice stopped her cold. "Melisa."
She paused, her hand on the door handle. "Yes?"
"You belong to me," he said quietly, but his words carried the weight of absolute certainty. "Don't ever forget that."
Melisa clenched her jaw, her heart aching with the bitter truth of his statement. She had entered this marriage to repay a debt, to save herself from a life of torment. But what she hadn't realized was that she had merely exchanged one prison for another.
Without another word, she left the room, her legs feeling weak beneath her. The tension between them had been palpable, electrifying in a way that both frightened and confused her. She hated him for how he treated her, for how he controlled her life. Yet, at the same time, she couldn't deny the pull he had over her-the way his presence ignited something deep inside her, something she didn't want to face.
This was only the beginning.
As the sun sets over the city, Shania finds herself sitting nervously in a luxurious office across from Alvaro Mahendra, a handsome but intimidating businessman. Desperate to save the orphanage where she grew up, Shania faces a life-altering choice: to sign a contract that will bind her to Alvaro as his mistress for three years in exchange for a loan to keep the orphanage open. Despite her fears and doubts, the gravity of the situation compels her to accept the deal, knowing that the children depend on her. With trembling hands, Shania signs the agreement, feeling as if she's sealing her fate. Alvaro, devoid of emotion, informs her that her life will now revolve around him. Afterward, Shania receives news that the orphanage has secured a large donation, a gesture likely orchestrated by Alvaro himself. While relieved that the children will be safe, Shania grapples with the heavy cost of her sacrifice: her freedom and future now belong to a man she barely knows. The chapter closes with Shania feeling lost in an abyss of uncertainty and fear, fully aware that her life has irrevocably changed.
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
Madison had always believed that she would marry Colten. She spent her youth admiring him from afar, dreaming of their future life together. But Colten was always indifferent to her, and when he abandoned her at a time when she needed him most, she finally realized that he never loved her. With renewed resolve and a thirst for revenge, Madison left. Endless possibilities lay ahead, but Colten was no longer part of her plans. Colten rushed to her place in a panic. "Madison, please come back to me. I’ll give you everything!" It was his powerful uncle who answered the door. "She's my woman now."
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."